10 Seriously Overlooked British TV Shows
5. Pennies from Heaven
Dennis Potter was a true pioneer of the television drama and Pennies from Heaven marks one of his most characteristic pieces, even if it is often overshadowed by Potter’s The Singing Detective. A fusion of a grim story of marriage, sexual desire, power, and crime with musical tropes, Pennies from Heaven is another unforgettable drama from Potter.
Starring Bob Hoskins as Arthur Parker, Gemma Craven as his wife Joan, and Cheryl Campbell as Eileen, the woman he comes to obsess over, Pennies from Heaven is set in 1930s England and tells the tale of Arthur, a travelling sheet music salesman, and the discontent life and marriage he has. From there, Potter's idiosyncratic blend of surrealism and characterful drama leads one on an exquisite televisual journey.
Remade as a weird musical with Steve Martin and featuring a tap dancing scene with Christopher Walken in 1981, Pennies from Heaven can often be overshadowed by the big screen flop adaption. It ought not to be so, for anyone who happens to go and watch the original six episode series will discover one of TVs high-water marks.